Michel Jaccard

Michel is the founder of id est avocats, an award winning boutique law firm located in Switzerland focusing on delivering strategic and expert advice to successful startups, innovative companies and global brands in the fields of technology, media, intellectual property, privacy and cybersecurity. He is also a widely respected corporate law specialist and has acted with his team on some of the most significant rounds of financing, strategic investments, acquisitions and divestitures in the technology sector in recent years in Western Switzerland, including several exits to major US buyers.

Michel graduated with honors from Lausanne University (J.D.’93, Ph.D.’96) and Columbia University (LL.M.’97, Fulbright Grantee and Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar). He has practiced law for more than 15 years in Switzerland and abroad in leading business law firms, including as head of practice. He is admitted to the Swiss and New York bars and worked in 2003-2004 in the IP/IT department of White & Case LLP in New York. He has been active in open source matters since 2005, and is a founding member of theInternational Free and Open Source Law Review(IFOSSLR) editorial committee.

Michel was listed among the “300 most influential personalities” in Switzerland by Bilan Magazine and has received top rankings in tech | media | IT | IP and corporate | M&A by leading guides such as Chambers, Legal500 and Best Lawyers.